Rumors
by Falcon4Crane
Summary: One-shot based on a song featuring Tommy and Kimberly.


A/N: Okay here is my new one-shot. I actually wrote this before the last chapter of Games to sort of clear my mind and help move past a few mental blocks I had. Anyway see if you can guess the song that this was inspired by.

XXXX

"Her name is Katherine and she is from Australia." Trini informed Kimberly as they watched Tommy walking down the hall with the tall blonde. It stung a little to see Tommy actually dating again but she was the one that had broken up with him. It had just gotten too hard to date and compete. It may be a stupid reason to break up but it was her reason. Tommy had been upset but she knew that he would move on, she just didn't know that it would be a week later.

"She is in my four period." Kim stated as she turned back to her locker and grabbed her science book so that she didn't have to see Tommy and Kat holding hands anymore. "I'll talk to you after school at Ernie's." Kim said as Trini nodded. She watched her best friend walk in the opposite direction of Tommy. She didn't know what was going on with Tommy and Kimberly but the rumors were flying everywhere.

XXXX

Kim glared at Katherine as she watched her preform some ballet moves in the exact spot that the beam was supposed to be. Ernie had said he was sorry but that Katherine had gotten there first so she got the workout space. Kim needed the space since it was the only place in town that she could practice on a beam.

"I thought that you would be on the beam practicing for your competition this weekend." Tommy said from behind Kim's right shoulder. Once upon a time, she would have known that he was behind her before he even spoke but apparently not anymore.

"I would have been but your girlfriend got here first." Kim stated before turning around to face her ex-boyfriend. "What are you doing with her?" She asked not even thinking about it was wrong to ask him about Katherine. Tommy and Katherine were totally different and as far as Kim was concern they had nothing in common except for maybe being tall.

"You sound a little bitter." Tommy commented. "If I remember correctly, you broke up with me because you wanted more time to flip around on that beam of yours." He said while she glared at him. He didn't even act like he was mad about her breaking up with him anymore.

"Whatever, she can't be real. I mean really the blonde hair and blue eyes." She said as he laughed.

"You're jealous." He said as she shook her head no.

"No but she's not going to love you like I did. She's nothing but a stranger to you." She said crossing her arms across her chest. "We have a history that she can't erase or did you forget?" She asked.

"Yea she's a stranger but that's why we are dating so that I can get to know her. We did have a history but as you said its history, we are finished." He stated without losing his smile. "I mean she's perfect because who doesn't want a blonde hair, blue eye girlfriend."

Kim huffed and looked over her shoulder at Katherine doing something kind of twirl. "Sure, she's got it all but is that really what you want?" She asked looking back at him before walking away from him.

Tommy just smiled and shook his head. Katherine saw him standing near the steps and walked over to him.

"So how's the campaign going?" She asked with a smile. She really was beautiful but she did nothing for him which was why this was perfect.

"Well you are messing with her head so I would say that it's going good." He replied as she nodded. "Thank you once again for doing this for me." He said.

"Well as long as you remember your part then everything will fine." She commented.

"Don't worry, Jason knows that you are helping me with Kimberly. It shouldn't be a problem to get him to ask you out after this is over with." He said as she nodded.

"Thank you." She said. "I better get back to practicing." She said walking away from him.

Tommy stood there for a moment before locating Jason, Rocky, Adam, Zack, and Billy sitting at one of the tables. He noticed that none of the girls were there and wondered where they were. He walked over to them and sat down in the empty chair between Jason and Zack.

"Tommy, you better get this solved with Kimberly soon. Aisha just threatened that she would not be going to the dance with me in two weeks if you were still dating that blonde." Rocky said as soon as Tommy sat down.

"He's not really dating her." Jason muttered as Tommy looked over at him. He had a feeling that his best friend did like Katherine and that worked with his plans.

"What? You are not really dating her?" Rocky asked glaring at Tommy. "You mean that my girlfriend is mad at me because of a trick?" He asked as Tommy nodded. "I'm going to kill you."

"Calm down, Rocky. This will all be settled before the dance so that you can Aisha can go together." Jason said as Tommy nodded.

"I can't believe that you are in on it, Jase. I mean Kim is like your little sister and you are letting Tommy play her." Adam said looking over at Jason.

"Well Tommy assures me that this is what's best for Kimberly." He said looking over at Tommy.

"It is, don't worry." Tommy said looking around the table. "Trust me."

XXXX

"Kimberly, how are you? I saw Tommy holding hands with that new girl." Aisha said as she sat down next to Kimberly. The girls had been looking for her for the past 10 minutes and found her in her park.

Kim looked over at her friends and sighed. "I'm okay. I mean I knew that he would move on but I thought that it would be a few years." She said as Trini sat down on the other side of her and started rubbing her back.

"Hun, maybe you need a date." Trini said as she looked at Kimberly.

Kim sighed before looking from Trini to the lake. "No because I was serious. I need to focus on my gymnastics. I still love Tommy but I just can't date him right now." She stated.

"Well the boys are standing by his side." Tanya said as Aisha nodded.

"Guys, this is not a side issue. It is just a breakup between me and Tommy." Kim said standing up. "I decided to do this so please go and tell your boyfriends that you will go to the dance with them." She said as the girls grumbled. "I mean it." She stated.

"Fine but I don't have to be happy about Tommy dating Katherine." Trini said as Aisha, Tanya, and Angela nodded.

"He's got his heart in the clouds right now. It's the beginning of a new relationship and you cannot be mad at him for this." Kim said looking at her best friends.

"He's making a fool of himself." Tanya stated.

"She is bringing him down." Aisha piped in as Kim shook her head.

"Kim, I think that she has melted his heart." Trini said looking sad.

"He's cold to the core for doing this to you." Aisha said getting angry again at the fact that Tommy was dating.

"Those are rumors." Kim said. "Now get to the Youth Center and talk to your boyfriends." She ordered as the girls stood up and left her alone once again. It did hurt that Tommy had found someone so soon but she couldn't blame him.

XXXX

The next two weeks were torture for both Tommy and Kimberly. He didn't think that she was coming around fast enough and she felt like he was shoving his relationship with Katherine in her face. Their friends had stepped back to let them handle it but Katherine was caught in the crossfire.

She was the innocent party and Tommy did feel sorry for her but he needed her help with Kimberly. He could feel that he was so close to winning Kimberly back. The dam finally broke the day of the dance. Kim was pacing the park because once again, Katherine had beaten her to the Youth Center to practice her dancing.

"Oh what does he see in her?" Kim muttered as she picked up a pebble and threw it into the lake. She watched in displeasure as the ripples made their way back toward her.

"Nice throw for a girl." Tommy said walking up behind her.

"Go away." Kim said without turning to face him.

"No, I don't think I will. It has taken me too long already to find you." He said walking up beside her.

"How did you find me?" She asked refusing to turn and face him even though he was only a few feet away from her.

"They told me back at the gym that I would find you here." He said as she sighed. Of course their friends had told him. They wanted them to makeup already and moved past this.

"I should kill every one of them." She muttered as he laughed. "Tommy, just leave me alone." She muttered.

"I can't do that because I want to talk to you." He said turning serious.

"I don't care. You should go back to your girlfriend." She said turning her back on him.

"Well that would be a problem since I don't have a girlfriend." He stated shocking her. Spinning around, she looked at him to see if he was lying to her. What did he mean that he didn't have a girlfriend?

"What did you say?" She asked as he took a step forward closing the space between them.

"I say that I don't have a girlfriend." He said tucking his hands in his pockets. It was something that he did when he was nervous. Kim actually loved him when he did that because even though he was nervous, he always pushed through to talk to her.

"Are you teasing me? I don't understand how you can go from almost making out with her in the hall at school to not dating only an hour later." She commented looking a little hurt when the picture of him and Katherine popped into her mind.

"No, I'm not teasing you although I haven't been truthful these past two weeks either." He paused closing his eyes. "It was all a lie." He said as she just stood there.

"What was a lie?" She asked finally as Tommy rubbed the back of his neck.

"My relationship with Katherine." He replied waiting for her explosion.

"What?" She yelled throwing her hands into the air. "Are you telling me that you haven't been dating Katherine only making me think you were?" She said as he nodded. "How could you?" She cried hitting his shoulder with her tiny fist. "You really hurt me."

"I know but you wouldn't listen to me. I never wanted to break up with you." He said reaching for her hands. "I love you and you threw that back in my face." He stated.

"No, I gave you your freedom because I wasn't sure how much time I could devote to being your girlfriend." She explained. "It wasn't fair to you to have a girlfriend that you didn't get to go on dates with." She muttered.

"I never asked for my freedom nor do I want it." He said squeezing her hands. "I never complained about how much time you have to practice because I take that same time and watch you. I love watching you while you train." He stated.

Kim bit her bottom lip and looked into Tommy's eyes. "I'm sorry." She whispered finally understanding his pain at their breakup.

"I'm not sure that I heard that." He said as she groaned. He was going to make her say it out loud but she guessed that he wouldn't let her get away with not telling him how sorry she was.

"I'm sorry." She said louder as he smiled.

"I forgive you." He said leaning down to brush her lips with his. "Now would you like to go to the dance with me?" He asked pulling back.

"Well I do have a dress." She said as he released her hands only to pick her up and spin her around in a circle before setting her back on the ground.

"I will say that you will see Katherine at the dance but she will be there as Jason's date." He warned.

"Jason's date?" She asked as he nodded. "I think I understand what she got out of this deal." She said wrapping her arms around his neck. "You are sneaky but I do love you." She whispered before kissing him again.

XXXX

_Ten Years Later_

"What is the matter with you?" Kim yelled as she stormed into Tommy's classroom in a blaze of anger. "She is half your age!" She yelled as she kicked a chair out of her way. Tommy watched it fly backwards and had to sigh. Kimberly was mad to say the least.

"Whoa you want to cool your jets and tell me what this is all about." Tommy said as he stood up and removed his glasses. He was the Science teacher at Reefside High School and had been in the middle of his planning period when Kimberly had stormed in. It had been almost a month since they had broken their engagement and he wondered what she had heard to bring her back here.

She had gotten a job on the other side of the country and they had fought about her going. He didn't want to give up his job here and she didn't want to turn down the new job. Two hours of yelling had her throwing his ring back at him before storming out. He had been left to tell their friends that the wedding was off and that Kimberly had moved to the other side of the country.

Everyone had wanted to know why she had moved but he really didn't have an answer to that. He wasn't sure why she had taken the job other than the fact that he had told her she couldn't. She could be very stubborn when it came to the fact that she didn't want anyone telling her what to do. He had known that but when she said that she had gotten this job all he could think about was that he was losing her. He had gotten possessive over her then which was never a good thing.

"This is about you getting involved with a teenage girl in your class." She stated crossing her arms across her chest. "She is half your age and it's against the law but now it makes sense the reason that you stayed here." She said glaring at him. "You had some little hot thing in your sights."

"I'm not quite sure who you are talking about." He said even though he knew. Their friends had to be behind whatever she had heard about his suppose relationship with this teenage girl. He wasn't involved with a student or anyone else for that matter but he knew that everyone had been upset when he had told them that the engagement was off. He wouldn't put it past them to put a bug in Kim's ear.

"Oh I think you do since Jason said you went to her because you had been missing me." She fired back.

"Jason should learn to mind his own business." He muttered.

"No he is concerned about you just like I am." She said. "Tommy, she is too young for you." She said walking toward him.

"Maybe I don't care." He stated backing away from her. "How about we go somewhere and talk?" He asked because his classroom wasn't the best place for this conversation. Anyone could walk in at any moment.

"Fine." She said as he grabbed his briefcase and stuffed the papers he had been grading into it before moving toward her.

"Let's go." He said placing his hand on her lower back and ushered her out of his classroom, school, and into the parking lot. "You can ride with me." He said as he opened the passenger door for her.

"Okay, it will give us time to talk on the way to your house." She said as he nodded. He had another plan as well and that was she couldn't go anywhere without him taking her since she wouldn't have her car to use as a getaway.

Walking around the vehicle, Tommy opened his door and got in. He threw his briefcase into the back seat before cranking the car. Shifting into reverse, he backed out of his parking space and headed toward his house.

"Are you going to get in trouble leaving early?" She asked suddenly remembering that he had just left work before the school day was over.

"No because it was the final period of the day and it's only my planning period. I'll call the Principal later and explain it to her." He replied with a shrug.

"Oh okay." She muttered.

"You wanted to talk, so talk." He said hoping that she would get to the real reason that she was here because she had to know that he wouldn't be with a teenager over her.

"Tell me about this girl and why she is special." She said as he groaned. There was no girl since he was wrapped up in the woman sitting next to him.

"Kimberly." He warned as she shifted in her seat.

"Don't try to get out of this. Jason said that he saw you with a girl about 17 at some place called the Cybercafé." She stated.

"Jason talks too much." He said under his breath. "Anyway the only one that I can think he was talking about was Kira. She sings there and it's called Hayley's Cybercafé. You remember Hayley?" He asked as she nodded. "Anyway Kira had asked me to go and watch her during one of her performances." He explained.

"And you went? Are you crazy?" She asked firing the questions at him like they were bullets.

"Of course I went; I mean Hayley does work there so I wanted to see her besides watching one of my students. I'm not crazy, Kimberly." He said as he turned into his driveway. It was a long one so she couldn't actually see the house.

"What do you call it then?" She asked. "Where are you taking me?" She asked when she noticed that they were on a dirt road driving deeper into the woods.

"I call it being supportive and I'm taking you to my house." He said as they rounded a curve. She could finally get a clear look at the house.

"This is your house?" She asked as he smiled. He knew that she would like it since she had practically described this house when they were in high school.

"I bought it right before you threw your ring back at me. This was going to be your wedding gift." He stated as he stopped the car and got out. She got out as well and took a good look at the house. "It's pretty much just like you described." He said breaking through her thoughts.

"You remembered." She stated as he nodded. "How did you find it?" She asked looking at him over the car.

"Lots of time on the internet but I thought it would be worth it." He replied before shutting his door and walking to the front porch.

Kim took a few minutes before she followed him. "I'm sorry." She said simply as he nodded.

"It's okay I love the house anyway, now let's discuss why you think that I am messing around with one of my students." He said opening the door and standing to the side so that she could walk in ahead of him.

"Always the gentleman." She said shaking her head as she walked into the house. It was even better than she could have ever pictured.

Tommy walked in and shut the door before walking to the kitchen. "You want anything?" He called out from the kitchen.

"No, I'm fine." She called out as she walked around the room looking at the pictures that he had out. She didn't know whether she was impress that he had pictures out or heartbroken because someone had to have helped him put them out.

Tommy walked back into the room and watched Kim for a minute before sitting down on the couch. "So explain to me why you think I am dating one of my students." He said causing her to jump. She hadn't heard him walk back into the room.

"Well Jason called me last night and said that he has seen you with this Kira several times going out to places like Hayley's and the movies. He was very concern that you would lose your job over this girl." She explained walking over to the couch and sitting down beside him.

"And you believed Jason?" He asked taking a drink from his water bottle.

"Yea and by the way, why did you tell him that we had been talking again?" She asked pulling her legs under her so that she could sit Indian style beside him.

"You know I should punch my best friend." He said setting his bottle aside. "I am not dating Kira no matter what you or Jason think. I mean she is a child for crying out loud and I didn't tell him that we have been talking. He probably figured it out from Trini." He said looking at her.

"I didn't tell Trini anything, oh wait I did tell her one day that I was thinking about moving back here. It was after I had talked to you and she might have assumed it was because of you." She said with a groan. "Why is Trini telling Jason? I mean shouldn't she be telling her husband and no one else." She said leaning back against the cushions.

"Billy probably doesn't care one way or the other and she knew that Jason would so she told him." He suggested as she nodded. She hadn't thought about that. "You do know that Jason did tell Katherine and everyone else too. I mean he can't really keep a secret about us." He said as she rolled her eyes. It was true even though Jason could keep everyone else's secret.

"You made a fool out of me." She whispered as she sat up.

"How did I do that?" He asked taking her hand in his. She did love when he took her hand in his because he always played with her fingers while they talked. It always made her feel safe.

"Running around with a girl who is half your age." She whispered. "You're making my heart melt." She revealed as Tommy looked into her eyes and smiled.

"I hope so." He whispered back as he leaned in and brushed his lips across hers. "You know the rumor is that I am leaving her for you." He whispered against her lips.

"Shut up." She said as she pulled her hands from his to place on either side of his head. "I love you." She whispered as she bought his head down hers so that she could kiss him properly. They had been apart way too long and she had missed him holding her and kissing her.

XXXX

Several hours later, Tommy slipped her ring back on the third finger of her left hand. He had slipped away to grab it after they had discussed their future. "Back where it belongs." He stated kissing the back of her hand.

"I haven't agreed to marry you." She pointed out as he climbed back in bed beside her.

"Are you sure? I vividly remember several yes's over the past few hours." He said as she blushed remembering each of those yes's.

"Just because I said it doesn't mean that I meant it. People say crazy things." She stated with some sass. She couldn't let him think that this was that simple.

"Yea they say crazy things but your heart is telling me something else." He whispered as he placed his hand over her stomach. "I love you Kimberly Ann Hart." He proclaimed as tears pooled in her eyes.

"I love you too, Tommy." She whispered as she placed her hand on top of his and interlaced her fingers with his.

XXXX

Two months later Tommy and Kim were cutting their wedding cake in the Youth Center where they had met over ten years ago. He fed her a piece of cake as perfect as possible but Kim didn't She smeared cake from his mouth to his forehead. He had cake on his nose, eyes, and forehead when she was done.

"Nice." He said leaning in to kiss her soundly. Once he pulled back he saw the cake on her face and smiled.

"That was a dirty trick." She protested but with a smile on her face. "You know I heard another rumor about us." She said as he handed her a napkin to wipe the cake off of her face as he did the same.

"Another rumor? Kimberly I'm not cheating on you at all." He stated thinking that one of their friends had been teasing her just to stir up some trouble.

"Oh I know but apparently I am." She said with a smile. "Apparently I'm leaving you before the inks dry to marry Jason." She explained.

"Jason is married to Katherine, how would that work?" He asked smiling. Who came up with these rumors?

"Not sure but let's prove that rumor wrong." She whispered as he nodded. Looking around he saw that most everyone was talking and finishing up. It was time to leave.

Looking back at Kimberly, he gave her no warning before he scooped her up into his arms before running out of the rom. He heard people yelling after them but he paid them no attention. He had his wife now and there was no way that he was letting Kimberly go ever again.

XXXX

Okay so what did everyone think? Please let me know. If you haven't guessed the song is Rumor Has It by Adele. I had this idea while I was driving home one day from work. It turned out better than I thought it would. I hope that everyone liked it. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of my readers.


End file.
